MTL - The King - Chapter 18 trade-off

Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic Otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe! He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction.

As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world!

“The lifespan of a butterfly is between three days and a month, and most butterflies only live for a week.”
“Like them, I have only a few months to live, maybe less.”

–

The first time Hu Die met Jing Yu, he thought she was a world-weary girl who committed suicide.
The second time they met, he told Hu Die indifferently: “If you jump down again today, I’m not saving you again.”
Later, she told him: “Jing Yu, don’t feel sorry for me.”

Later, Jing Yu returned to the arena and won the glory that belonged to him.
Under the flashing lights, he suddenly remembered the girl’s voice, and said a nonsensical remark in front of thousands of people.

——”I’m not sad, I just think that at such a moment, it would be better if you’re here.”

“He is a whale swimming in the ocean. One day, a butterfly inadvertently broke into his frequency. That was the most beautiful moment in his life.”

- Description from Novelupdates

Sometimes, as we go about with our lives, we all happen to think of one specific thought at least once.

A huge guy is bawling his eyes out. In this day and age? Sure, maybe the world changed while I was away in that other place. I’m not some old-fashioned boomer.But what if that guy is clinging to my pant leg, sobbing and sniffling—And we’re not even acquaintances?Even in modern times, that’s just messed up. Ask any passing kid, they’d agree.So yeah, I shook my leg. He was gross and too close.“The hell’s wrong with you? Crying just ’cause you saw a ghost?” “N-no! I swear, it was really there! You didn’t see it!!”I let the disrespect slide. Barely. He was asking for help and still talking down to me just because I look young?Obviously, I’m not the one who lost his balls. He is.And yet… when I looked where he pointed—Something was there.I threw some coarse salt and looked again.He stared at me like I was insane, but I ignored it.…Yeah. Something was definitely there.It made eye contact.